A Final Request Part Two
by angie9281
Summary: Having decided to meet the true death, will it be possible for Bill to find peace and reunite with the human family he was torn from so long ago? His friends and family come to grips with his decision as Sookie and Eric decide to make one last gesture to honor their friend.


**PART TWO**

**Chapter 1**

Taking the paper she had been given by Niall, Holly proceeded with the spell, the pendants around Sookie and Jessica's neck beginning to blow with a ethereal light that manifested into a dome over all those assembled. Images began to form within the light, of the terrible things the vampire had done to them and it was by the spell that Sookie and Jess came to realize that they, along with Bill were being forced to feel, to relive the darkest of times. To see if there truly was remorse and regret in the vampire. As painful as it was for them to allow their pain to be reopened and displayed before everyone else, they knew this had to happen.

Holly looked as if she were straining to remain on her feet, the power of the spell she was performing was clearly taking a toll on her as well, the pendant around her neck linked with the other two and allowing it to be made more intense on the vampire before them. The emotions flooding through her was overwhelming but as Sookie watched the light from her pendant as well as the one around Jessica's flow right into Bill, she couldn't hold it in. sobbing, she watched as Bill was lost within the images before him and within his mind. The tangle of emotions within him had to be overpowering. For a brief moment, he came out of the stupor he was in and met Sookie's eyes. He mouthed to her "Everything will be ok."

"Be brave Bill. You deserve this." Jessica was sobbing now too as he returned to the visions swirling around everyone, though now they were enhanced, made more intense. The pendant Holly wore seemed to glow brighter and her eyes met Sookie's and they looked…hopeful.

"It's working…" Sookie breathed as she and all those gathered watched the haunting visions seem to settle into the body of the restrained vampire. Holly took her pendant off which was glowing. As she went to Jessica, the light from it flowed out and absorbed into hers while the same happened to Sookie's. Both Jess and Sookie's pendants dissolved into nothing but the one Holly wore remained intact and had become as bright as a star. "Holly…." Sookie whispered as the light, the images from above vanished as things returned to normal.

"Wait for it. The spirits, the goddess has listened and has seen the trial he went through. He absorbed all the pain, the anguish he inflicted on not just those here, but through all the dark times in his life." Sookie immediately thought back to his time with Lorena and shuddered. She knew enough about that time to know it was a murderous time, indeed. Taking the pendant, Holly walked to Bill and placed the crystal over his still heart and looked to the heavens. "Goddess, heed our calls, has the vampire passed the test to cross over? To rejoin the ones lost in time so long ago?" Holly read clearly from the paper in hand and as much as he wanted to join Sookie where she stood, Eric was unable to move. No one could move, a force was keeping everyone at bay.,

A beam of sunlight that did not burn him came down from a source no one could make out. A figure appeared at Bill's side as his flesh burned still from the silver keeping him down, blood tears ran down his face from the experience and now, with what he was seeing now, yet more came flowing. "Caroline….." he saw two more figured appear from another beam of light. "Sarah. Thomas." he looked upon his children for the first time in decades, neither of them any older than when the day he had left them to go off to war.

"We've been sent to bring you home with us….if that is truly what you desire." Caroline said, looking down at her husband. "All is forgiven. Your penance has been paid this night and we can spend eternity as a family once more. I was also sent with a gift to give you before the deed is finished." kissing him on the lips, the spirit sent a pulse of energy through Bill. The silver chains were flung off him as he took a breath for the first time in well over a century. "You have five minutes before I must finish the ceremony." Caroline said.

He didn't know what to make of this unexpected gift. Then he felt a pressure against both of his legs and looked down to see his children, hugging him. "How is it possible?" he whispered, looking at Caroline and then wasting no time, scooped up his kids, one in each arm. They shared a big hug as tears flowed from even the spirits.

"Anything is possible if you believe and keep faith." Caroline replied as she walked over to Sookie. "I thank you for all you have done for him. I know all that you have been through together and I just…..words can not express my gratitude for your help in bringing him back to being the man I knew him as being."

"You….you're welcome." Sookie replied with a wavering smile. "Bill?" she walked over to Bill and for the first time, was able to touch him and feel his body heat, hear his heart pumping. "I am glad for you, I really am…..go…..be with them."

Kissing her head gently, Bill laughed as his tears flowed, no longer bloody. "No more staining anything from crying, huh?"

Sookie couldn't help but laugh as he want to bid Jessica a last goodbye. Caroline gestured for him to come over to her.

"Are you ready? It will not hurt, I promise. You are about to finish the transition to the afterlife."

"I am ready." Bill said. Allowing her to kiss him on the lips, he again felt a strange sensation overwhelm him. Looking down, he saw his body dissolve, not was a vampire body did nor as a human. It was almost like his body had been incinerated. Left as a spirit, he smiled serenely. Embracing Caroline and pulling his children gently to his side, Bill nodded once more at those he was about to leave behind and the light around them brightened to the point where they were no longer visible. And when it faded, they were gone.

**Chapter 2**

Holly took care of putting all the things away from the ceremony as Jessica and Sookie took stock of the night's events, though Sookie could tell Eric was chomping at the bit to comfort her. But she had to help Jessica who was now orphaned once more.

"I am glad he found peace. I feel….better than I thought I would now that its over." Jess sniffled as she accepted a tissue from Sookie. Sookie, being part vamp, had tears that had a very slight red tint to them but in the dark, was not noticeable unless one looked at the tissue. Which Jessica did. "I forgot about that." Jess said when Sookie reminded her of that fact.

"I have come to embrace my freakishness." Sookie laughed gently. "I guess it has allowed me to get what I otherwise never could have kept for long. But now that my lifespan is seriously expanded now that I'm little miss hybrid….." her eyes flickered to Eric for a moment before turning to Jess. "Look, if you need anything, you know I am there for you. I Haven't been a good person to those I cared about in the past and I want to change that. I'm changing all over, you could say."

Hoyt came over at that moment and Jess hugged Sookie. "I'm glad we both have shoulders to cry on. Thanks for everything Sookie, I appreciate it."

"Night Sookie." Hoys said with a nod of his head. "You've been good to Jess and we're lucky to have you. And if you need anything, we're here for you too." It had been decided there would be no reception and as everyone left-Sookie making sure to thank everyone who had come-Eric was the last one remaining outside the former Compton house

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"If I had a dollar for all the times I have been asked that over the years….." she trailed off, stifling a yawn. "I am just glad he got closure with everyone before…..and seeing him with his family, I was really touched. He looked happier than I have ever seen him and I think he did deserve that."

"She will never admit it, but I saw even Pam had a tear in her eye when he passed on." Eric said with a smirk. "Do not tell her I told you. She and Tara had to get back to the bar and make sure Ginger hasn't caused the place to get leveled. Though I have hired a couple others to help keep her in line. Still….."

"I get it." Sookie smiled tiredly. "I just really want to go home. Not to mine but….."

"I've decided to ditch the other place. I decided to give it to Willa. I've been trying to be a better maker to her and I figured this could help. Tara is living with Pam in the house not far from mine. So if it pleases you, I would like to-"

"Play house and move in with me?" she teased.

"If you don't object to me redecorating your basement. You know I hale always liked having my own personal territory. I mean to say I am not trying to say I own your house and whatever is in it-"

"Yeah, you tried that once and see how that worked out?" she teased. "I don't mind, I like having my own space too and would love to share this house with someone. It's been too empty for too long."

He nodded then looked at the bracelet on his right wrist, a bracelet given to him by Niall to be able to venture safely out into the light to rescue Sookie while they were in London on their honeymoon. "Perhaps tomorrow, we could enjoy a walk? I have not had the chance to really enjoy using this yet." he looked at her face and thought of another idea. "and perhaps we could see to tidying up the Compton family grave site?"

"That's a good idea!" she exclaimed. She was also touched by the idea. "You really….you really keep surprising me, you know. I promise, I promise, I won't let anyone in on the softer side of you. I realize you have a image to maintain, Mr. CEO."

Taking her by the hand, he led her up onto her porch and into what was now _their_ home. "That's good because you do know I care a great deal about keeping that image." he paused. "I could not help but think tonight, that with Bill gone, there is no longer a ruler of this state…I do not mean to sound callous, as he just has passed on. But someone will need to replace him sooner rather than later, for the safety and security of humans and vampires."

"I admit, that came across my mind. And he was doing so well as king too….. I suppose the Authority would try to give you the job again. And I know that we fought over that prospect once before…..but honestly, there are so few vampires I really know well and being partly one now too, I care more about who is in charge. And after what happened in London….maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing if it were to be you who were-"

"I don't think now is the time to talk about it. I think you need time to mourn and to rest…..I never have really had the chance to mourn for those I've lost in my long life and I came to realize that tonight. Let's just….go to bed. And tomorrow we can get things dealt with."

**Chapter 3**

Pulling out the weeds around the gravesite, Sookie went to plant some new flowers around the graves representing the Compton family. Simple white lilies with purple tulips for a splash of color gave it a serene appearance, a weeping willow tree that had been recently planted just over the graves created a canopy around the site. She hadn't wanted to trouble her husband with any of this and had checked in on him in his cubby around ten that morning. Noon rolled around as sounds of crunching twigs startled her.

"Oh!" she said, falling on her backside from the scare. "You didn't need to…..I mean, bracelet or no, you still need your day rest…..but you do look…I mean, the sunlight….it suits you."

"This gift is definitely one I will make good use of." Eric said, fingering the bracelet on his right wrist. Even if it can only grant me a few hours at a time. But Don't worry about me. I came out to help you."

"I thought maybe about getting new stones made up for him and his family, almost from when I saw the graves for the first time. They're so weather-beaten, you know? But I know he wasn't one for flashy, he liked simple. I called this morning about getting the stones at least touched up and repaired as best they can and with the tree here now, it will give them some more protection."

"Thoughtful as always." he said, sitting down on the ground beside her. "I know this isn't easy for you….we could have waited a few days, you know."

"I know…..but I….I just want this chapter of my life closed. He and I, I'll remember the good times and the bad and I did love him. And I will cherish the good times and what he did for me. For us. The closure he got I think will be mine as well."

Eric nodded and took her hands into his. "You are uncommonly goodhearted, you know. And I think Jessica will approve of the job you've done. Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Well, there are some dead trees around her I do want to get rid of. I want to get new ones planted-" before she could continue, she watched Eric in a blur pass through the canopy of the willow tree and peeking her head through, she stared, wide eyed as he pulled out the dead trees, easily hundreds of pounds each and threw them into a small space that was out of the way. "You'd make a good lumberjack." she deadpanned.

"I don't think there is anything I could ever be a failure at." he smirked. "Considering all that I have experienced over the centuries, all I have seen, I think I could be quite the jack of all trades."

She knew he was trying to lighten the mood and for that she was appreciative. The gravesite was looking more like a peaceful garden than simply a place where the dead were remembered and mourned. It was several small pallets of flowers later that she felt that their job was about done. Covered in dirt, they both sat on a bench they had brought to place across from the graves, a wrought iron piece with intricate vine patterns all around the sides and the back. Underneath the protection of the tree, it would be a nice place for people to visit and pay their respects not only to Bill, but his family he had now rejoined.

The bronze bracelet with the faerie symbols on it began to vibrate slightly, telling the Viking that his time in the daylight was nearly over until it could be recharged by the sunlight, which Sookie would do for him. They had a short period of time before he would begin to burn and as she knelt at the grave and lay a final bouquet of flowers on the gravestone of Bill, Sookie led Eric out of the canopy of the weeping willow and they began the walk back to their home.

"The sun…such a gift from your grandfather." he said, looking at the bracelet that allowed him such a precious ability. He had loved the sun as a human and though had gotten used to living in the dark, those rate occasions that he had been able to return to the sunlight since meeting Sookie, it had made him realize how much he had missed it. "But I would give it up if I could undo the choice Bill made."

Stopping just as the yellow house came into view, she looked up at him. "I believe you would. If you had said that even a year ago that same thing, I would be skeptical. I know he meant something to you as well. But I know he needed his family. Knowing that he got it back, I cam rest a little more easily. But not a day will go by that I won't think about him. And I plan on doing something to keep his memory alive. And the rest of his family."

Standing there under the early afternoon sunlight, they said nothing as they embraced. The warmth of her tears against his skin was as warm as the sun above. But wisps of smoke began to rise from the skin exposed to the rays of light and Eric pulled away from her gently. "We had better get inside…and you can cry on my shoulder….or anywhere else….as long as you need or want to."

Grateful for the comfort of her husband, she allowed him to sweep her up off her feet and take her into the house where she would finally have the true grieving time she had desperately needed. She knew it would not be easy for any of those who had known Bill Compton but also had come to believe things had a way of working out for the best and so she knew that if had definitely for the long tormented and tortured vampire. He was finally at peace.

**The End**


End file.
